mikecampbell
11-20-2002, 07:42 AM
Just wondering if anyone has some advise for storing during the winter. I have my Lightning in a garage with a cover on it but was wondering if there is anything else that should be done.
View Full Version : Winter Storage Advise
BlueOvalBolt
11-20-2002, 08:12 AM
When I store mine I change the oil and fill the gas tank to full so condensation doesn't form in the tank.
Always leave the climate controls on Vent or Floor so the cab gets a free flow of air to prevent it that musty closed up smell.
If you are running aftermarket tires, you may want to consider putting it up on blocks as they may flat spot. You won't have a problem if you still have the F1's.
That's all I do, anyone else have something?
Always leave the climate controls on Vent or Floor so the cab gets a free flow of air to prevent it that musty closed up smell.
If you are running aftermarket tires, you may want to consider putting it up on blocks as they may flat spot. You won't have a problem if you still have the F1's.
That's all I do, anyone else have something?
Jstas
11-20-2002, 10:28 AM
Well, I was told that when storing a car, it is good to put it up on blocks or jackstands because of the tires getting messed up. But I was also told that jack stands or blocks should be put under the jack points on the frame to support the vehicle. The reason I was told this was that when a suspension sits in one spot, compressed for a long period of time, It can form a memory and the rubber bushings can be damaged. Letting the suspension hang loose keeps the springs from forming a memory. Well, they can form a memory but unless your are getting airborne with the vehicle, you probably won't ever see that memory in normal usage.
Other things I would do is a fuel stabilizer and when you go to start it up again in the spring, dump in a bottle of Dry Gas to displace any moisture formed from condenstaion. Unless of course you run it devery so often during its storage time.
Also, many people think this is a bad idea but, put the car/truck in storage with a full tank of gas. Gas evaporates over time and if there is not enough gas in the tank, a couple things can happen. Number one, all your fuel pump seals and gaskets dry out, crack and cause problems. Fuel pumps are expensive, so are fuel lines. 25 bucks worth of gas is alot more prefferable to 350 bucks for a new fuel pump installed. Also, I do not know if the Lightning has a plastic tank or metal, never bothered to look. But, if the gas level is too low and air gets into the tank and moisture condenses, it can start rusting from the inside out. That is also just as bad.
Another thing is to make sure your windsheild washer fluid is full too. The pumps are usually submersed in fluid so it will keep the seals in the pump and the diphram from drying out and cracking. Again, a new pump is 50 dollars or less but I'd rather spend 89 cents at Pep Boys and fill up the resivoir than buy a new pump every year. Also, do not use water, use straight fluid. It has enough water in it already. But, if the water level goes above a 50/50 even ratio, the water can freeze and actually pop open the resivoir. Those are not cheap pieces because the only place to get them as far as I know is a Ford dealer.
Some people have told me to change the oil too because the old oil is already broken down and new oil will help keep things pretty inside. I have also been told to run the vehicle at least once a week. If it is on jack stands, put the car in gear and let the drivetrain spin too. That will get the trans fluid and the diff fluid pumping so it doesn't sit. Helps keep gaskets and seals lubricated and prevents rust from forming on bearing surfaces. Don't goose the throttle though because you can have the vehicle jump off its perch and that's bad. Idling to get the oil circulated will do just fine. Oil pumps are geared so that the oil will circulate well even at an 800 RPM idle speed.
Oh yeah, clean the vehicle. Clean it good, inside and out. Keep it covered too to keep dust off and so the paint doesn't get damaged. Any weather stripping on a bed cover, on the tailgate, on the doors and even the hood should be given a coat of silicone grease so that they too do not dry out and stick to the painted metal surfaces. Weatherstripping is very expensive and can be labor intensive to install. Especially if parts are stuck to parts they shouldn't be. If it happens, paint may have to be stripped and repaired and we all know how much that costs.
If you plan on storing the vehicle for a good long time, remove the battery. Sometimes batteries, when they drain completely, can start to leak. Battery acid does major damage.
Also, another thing is, if you store other things like pool filters or lawn chemicals, DO NOT store them in the same place as the car or truck. Especially the chlorine in the pool filter and lime in the lawn chemicals can break down aluminum and cause steel and iron to rust prematurely. It will also destroy paint and anything rubber. It just has to sit in the same room too. The air doesn't even have to move. Also, if you have a laundry room near the storage place or the washer and dryer are in the storage place, you may want to think about changing your storage space or sealing off the laundry room. There are salts and alkalis (basically really potent salts) in detergents and they will destroy the same stuff as lime and chlorine. The fragrances in detergents and especially fabric softner are made up of oils and acids that have the same effect as brake fluid does on anything that is not brakes. It takes a little longer but it will do just as much damage. At least brake fluid doesn't cause metal to rust. The laundry detergents will. They are actually more corrosive.
Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it too much. If the storage area is climate controlled, even better, even less worries. You may want to put a drip pan underneath the vehicle. Even new seals and gaskets will weep over time because that is how they work. They absorb what they are sealing into the engine or drivetrain. They get saturated and they will drop a few drips. The fluids in a vehicle will break down concrete and most other flooring surfaces unless you have a coated or painted floor. Then there won't be a problem, just a stain.
One other thing, check the air pressure the tires. Low pressure can cause the tire to start to dry rot quicker. I have also seen some older cars with bias-ply tires actually have the tread cap seperate from the carcass of the tire due to underinflation while being stored. Tires, any way you cut it, are not cheap. The 60 cents worth of electricity it will take to run the compressor is much more preferrable to the 400-600 dollars it will take to replace tires.
I hope that helped. I'm probably forgetting some important things though.
Other things I would do is a fuel stabilizer and when you go to start it up again in the spring, dump in a bottle of Dry Gas to displace any moisture formed from condenstaion. Unless of course you run it devery so often during its storage time.
Also, many people think this is a bad idea but, put the car/truck in storage with a full tank of gas. Gas evaporates over time and if there is not enough gas in the tank, a couple things can happen. Number one, all your fuel pump seals and gaskets dry out, crack and cause problems. Fuel pumps are expensive, so are fuel lines. 25 bucks worth of gas is alot more prefferable to 350 bucks for a new fuel pump installed. Also, I do not know if the Lightning has a plastic tank or metal, never bothered to look. But, if the gas level is too low and air gets into the tank and moisture condenses, it can start rusting from the inside out. That is also just as bad.
Another thing is to make sure your windsheild washer fluid is full too. The pumps are usually submersed in fluid so it will keep the seals in the pump and the diphram from drying out and cracking. Again, a new pump is 50 dollars or less but I'd rather spend 89 cents at Pep Boys and fill up the resivoir than buy a new pump every year. Also, do not use water, use straight fluid. It has enough water in it already. But, if the water level goes above a 50/50 even ratio, the water can freeze and actually pop open the resivoir. Those are not cheap pieces because the only place to get them as far as I know is a Ford dealer.
Some people have told me to change the oil too because the old oil is already broken down and new oil will help keep things pretty inside. I have also been told to run the vehicle at least once a week. If it is on jack stands, put the car in gear and let the drivetrain spin too. That will get the trans fluid and the diff fluid pumping so it doesn't sit. Helps keep gaskets and seals lubricated and prevents rust from forming on bearing surfaces. Don't goose the throttle though because you can have the vehicle jump off its perch and that's bad. Idling to get the oil circulated will do just fine. Oil pumps are geared so that the oil will circulate well even at an 800 RPM idle speed.
Oh yeah, clean the vehicle. Clean it good, inside and out. Keep it covered too to keep dust off and so the paint doesn't get damaged. Any weather stripping on a bed cover, on the tailgate, on the doors and even the hood should be given a coat of silicone grease so that they too do not dry out and stick to the painted metal surfaces. Weatherstripping is very expensive and can be labor intensive to install. Especially if parts are stuck to parts they shouldn't be. If it happens, paint may have to be stripped and repaired and we all know how much that costs.
If you plan on storing the vehicle for a good long time, remove the battery. Sometimes batteries, when they drain completely, can start to leak. Battery acid does major damage.
Also, another thing is, if you store other things like pool filters or lawn chemicals, DO NOT store them in the same place as the car or truck. Especially the chlorine in the pool filter and lime in the lawn chemicals can break down aluminum and cause steel and iron to rust prematurely. It will also destroy paint and anything rubber. It just has to sit in the same room too. The air doesn't even have to move. Also, if you have a laundry room near the storage place or the washer and dryer are in the storage place, you may want to think about changing your storage space or sealing off the laundry room. There are salts and alkalis (basically really potent salts) in detergents and they will destroy the same stuff as lime and chlorine. The fragrances in detergents and especially fabric softner are made up of oils and acids that have the same effect as brake fluid does on anything that is not brakes. It takes a little longer but it will do just as much damage. At least brake fluid doesn't cause metal to rust. The laundry detergents will. They are actually more corrosive.
Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it too much. If the storage area is climate controlled, even better, even less worries. You may want to put a drip pan underneath the vehicle. Even new seals and gaskets will weep over time because that is how they work. They absorb what they are sealing into the engine or drivetrain. They get saturated and they will drop a few drips. The fluids in a vehicle will break down concrete and most other flooring surfaces unless you have a coated or painted floor. Then there won't be a problem, just a stain.
One other thing, check the air pressure the tires. Low pressure can cause the tire to start to dry rot quicker. I have also seen some older cars with bias-ply tires actually have the tread cap seperate from the carcass of the tire due to underinflation while being stored. Tires, any way you cut it, are not cheap. The 60 cents worth of electricity it will take to run the compressor is much more preferrable to the 400-600 dollars it will take to replace tires.
I hope that helped. I'm probably forgetting some important things though.
Jstas
11-20-2002, 10:39 AM
Couple of things I already noticed that I forgot.
Circulate the air in the storage area. Stale air can start to harbor mold and other microscopic nasties that make a mess. If it is cold outside, even better. Open the garage door for a little while and opn the doors and/or windows on the truck. Let the fresh air in.
One thing about leaving vents open and such, mice and other rodents. Leaving the vent open can lead to you having to removed either nesting material or dead animal carcasses from the ventilation system. If you know that you do not have a rodent problem in your house or garage then you should be fine. If you can't be sure or know otherwise, I'd advise against it and just make sure to let the vehicle air out every so often.
If possible, you may want to pop out a bed liner if you can so that any trapped moisture and dirt does not cause problems later on.
I realize that some of thise may seem excessive but I did notice that you live in Canada and most likely, your driving season is shorter than your storage season. You truck could be stored up to 6 months. 6 months of storage can wreak havoc on any vehicle if not stored properly. You don't have to do everything mentioned but it's stuff I would do if I was going to store the vehicle.
Circulate the air in the storage area. Stale air can start to harbor mold and other microscopic nasties that make a mess. If it is cold outside, even better. Open the garage door for a little while and opn the doors and/or windows on the truck. Let the fresh air in.
One thing about leaving vents open and such, mice and other rodents. Leaving the vent open can lead to you having to removed either nesting material or dead animal carcasses from the ventilation system. If you know that you do not have a rodent problem in your house or garage then you should be fine. If you can't be sure or know otherwise, I'd advise against it and just make sure to let the vehicle air out every so often.
If possible, you may want to pop out a bed liner if you can so that any trapped moisture and dirt does not cause problems later on.
I realize that some of thise may seem excessive but I did notice that you live in Canada and most likely, your driving season is shorter than your storage season. You truck could be stored up to 6 months. 6 months of storage can wreak havoc on any vehicle if not stored properly. You don't have to do everything mentioned but it's stuff I would do if I was going to store the vehicle.
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